Emergency Care & First Aid

In the event of an emergency during office hours, please call to notify us of your situation so we may better determine the need for an emergency exam and to prepare in the event of an actual emergency. We will do our best to meet the needs of our clients to see emergencies during our regular business hours. However, there may be some situations which necessitate the referral of our clients and their pets to an emergency facility due to scheduling, staffing, or other unforeseen circumstances.It is our sincere desire to put the health and welfare of our patients first, and if for some reason we are unable to take an emergency, we will not hesitate to refer you to a nearby emergency facility so that your pet may receive the best possible care at that time rather than sacrifice the quality of that care so that we may charge for less than optimum services. After hours, it is in the best interest of your pet that we refer all emergencies to local clinics (see below) equipped to handle critical, 24-hour care, particularly if hospitalization, laboratory tests, radiographs, or surgery is a possibility, in which case a critical care facility could give your pet ongoing care. We are in constant communication with these doctors via telephone and fax, and we will handle any scheduled check-ups during your pet's recovery.

EMERGENCY TIPS:

Drive carefully and don't panic!

Use and maintain direct pressure with clean towels and bandages on bleeding wounds.

Use stockings or long strips of cloth as muzzles on injured animals; they may even bite their owners!

If poisons have been involved, bring package information if available.

Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center

The VESC is a 24-hour emergency clinic located on West Cary Street in Richmond.

If you are dropping your pet off for surgery or vaccinations, please note that we accept drop-offs between 8:00 and 8:30 in the morning. Most animals staying with us for spays, neuters, dentals, baths, vaccines, and the like will be ready for pick-up around 5:00 pm; declaws stay overnight.